1995 Ford Mustang GT - Work In Progress

Making A Mustang Stand Out From The Herd Is Always A Challenge. For This Owner, It's A...

Don Roy

September 1, 2007

Photos By:
Tracy Stocker

Next GenerationThe new plan, as Matt sees it, is to convert his Pony to turbocharged power. Everything that has been accomplished in the past two years has been done with that goal in mind. The motor has been freshened so that it will be able to handle the additional power without complaint. That has included installing a main bearing girdle on the block - a job that he says wasn't as simple as he might have thought, given that he wanted to retain the stock oil pan. A Ford Racing E-303 cam now find its home deep inside the 5.0-liter block, along with their FRPP hydraulic roller lifters and Probe Industries' 1.7-ration roller rockers. Matt had taken the cylinder heads off himself for a little internal port matching, and so he added Comp Cams' dualie valve springs while he was at it.

After some mild porting, he dropped a Saleen intake manifold on top and added a Professional Products 75mm throttle body. Ford Motorsport's 19-lb fuel injectors were also installed, along with a Bosch 255 lph fuel pump and Aeromotive A1000 pressure regulator. To ensure accurate and powerful ignition performance, Matt selected a Mallory Hi-Fire 6 digital ignition controller and Crane Cams Fireball ignition coil. A custom exhaust was fabricated to connect the Hooker Super Comp headers through to a pair of Magnaflow 3-inch mufflers. Driveline upgrades along the way included a S.P.E.C. Stage 3 clutch when the tranny was changed over, as well as a Ford Racing aluminum driveshaft and Hurst short throw shifter.

At this point in time, the turbochargers remain to be installed, but the car gets closer every week. Matt tells us that "The pipes and lines have been fabricated and the accessory locations have been modified to allow clearance." He has chosen to go with a third party engine management system and is spending his time learning the ins and outs of that before bringing on the adders. "Then the turbos can be installed and tuning for them begin," he added. Interior changes aren't too radical up to this point in time, unless you consider having a Playstation 2 close at hand to be a little out there. The center stack fascia has been replaced with a custom molded piece to allow for a seven-inch LCD display and a Pioneer head unit with 6-disc changer. Not far away sits an Auto Meter five-inch Monster tach. The red-and-black interior theme is carried through in the red-faced gauge cluster overlay and the original seats that Matt dyed red himself.

As far as works-in-progress go ... and we've seen a few ... this one is pretty close to complete. The car is already distinctive enough to have taken home a couple of trophies from the All Ford Nationals in Carlisle, PA, and we've no doubt that there are more in its future. Perhaps a bigger trophy shelf should be the next project? Matt entertains that option after this one is complete. But maybe it's already a work-in-progress.

AcknowledgementsI would like to thank everyone who has helped me with the car: my parents for putting up with the tinkering while I was in high school when this was my only mode of transportation; members of my car club, Extreme Illusions and TurboMustangs.com for all the information I've found, making some of the build possible.